As part of my role at the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA), I participated in a door to door food safety awareness activity in F. Nilandhoo. This was my first work trip after joining MFDA, making it a particularly memorable milestone in my professional journey.

Together with hospital public health staff, we visited 13 households in two hours, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., engaging directly with community members on practical food safety topics. Discussions covered the safe storage of eggs, proper thawing practices, the importance of using cutting boards safely to prevent cross contamination, and how to make informed choices when purchasing packaged foods, including checking expiry dates, ingredient lists, and storage instructions.

The activity provided a valuable opportunity to engage with community members, answer questions, and promote simple food safety practices that can help reduce the risk of foodborne illness at home. It also highlighted the importance of community based approaches in supporting safer food handling practices and protecting family health.